Multi-Unit Fuel Cell System with Microgrid

This disclosure relates to a power block comprised of a multi-unit fuel cell system, an energy storage system, an energy management system, and a microgrid.

Power plants comprised of fuel cells are used to provide power to various utility grids comprised of homes, businesses, data centers, etc. A power plant can also be configured to provide power to a microgrid in the event of a loss of power from the utility grid. This independent mode traditionally forces the power plant to instantly follow a load of the customer which may potentially exceed fuel cell transient limits and result in fuel cell degradation.

In one example implementation, a system includes: a plurality of fuel cell power plants operable to supply power to a utility grid; a connection interface operable to connect the plurality of fuel cell power plants to the utility grid; an energy storage system operable to store power generated by the plurality of fuel cell power plants, wherein the energy storage system includes one or more batteries; at least one microgrid connectable to the utility grid with the connection interface, wherein the energy storage system is operable to connect the at least one microgrid to the utility grid via the connection interface, and wherein in response to an occurrence of a predetermined grid event, the energy storage system is operable to disconnect the at least one microgrid from the utility grid; and an energy management system, wherein during normal operation, the energy management system is operable to maintain a standby state-of-charge of the one or more batteries of the energy storage system, and in response to the occurrence of the predetermined grid event, the energy management system is operable to maintain a desired state-of-charge of the one or more batteries by controlling power setpoints for the plurality of fuel cell power plants.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, the connection interface comprises a static transfer switch.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, the energy storage system includes one or more batteries and a power conditioning system.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, the one or more batteries comprise lithium ferro-phosphate batteries and the power conditioning system comprises a bi-directional inverter.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, wherein, during normal operation, the plurality of fuel cell power plants are operable at a base load up to a rated load per fuel cell and are operable to provide electrical and thermal loads to the utility grid, the energy storage system is operable to maintain the standby state-of-charge, and the energy storage system is operable to monitor for a change in grid status.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, in response to the predetermined grid event, the energy storage system is operable to instantly and seamlessly supply a microgrid load while regulating system voltage and frequency.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, the predetermined grid event comprises a grid disturbance or outage.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, the energy storage system, in response to the predetermined grid event, and the energy management system is operable to simultaneously command the plurality of fuel cell power plants to an idle mode such that the plurality of fuel cell power plants only supply internal parasitic loads, and wherein the energy management system is operable to subsequently send the power setpoints to each fuel cell power plant to supply the microgrid load and is operable to command the plurality of fuel cell power plants to ramp up at a predetermined rate until the power setpoints are reached, such that the energy storage system is operable to stop discharging and maintain a desired state-of-charge.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, as microgrid load varies up or down, the energy storage system is operable to immediately produce or absorb power to maintain voltage and frequency, and wherein the energy management system is operable to calculate and communicate updated power setpoints to each fuel cell power plant to maintain the desired state-of-charge for the energy storage system.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, the at least one microgrid includes at least one microgrid controller operable to prioritize loads, and wherein, in response to one of the plurality of fuel cell power plants going offline, at least one microgrid controller or the energy management system is operable to command the energy storage system to seamlessly and instantly pick up a load that was carried by an offline fuel cell power plant.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, the energy management system is operable to signal to the at least one microgrid controller that a maximum power available has reduced by an amount equal to that previously being provided by the offline fuel cell power plant, and wherein the at least one microgrid controller is operable to identify lower priority loads to shed such that the at least one microgrid continues operating at reduced load capability.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, the plurality of fuel cell power plants comprises a predetermined number of fuel cell power plants that is determined to satisfy system operational requirements, and wherein at least one additional fuel cell power plant is added to the system, and wherein each fuel cell power plant has a maximum operating load, and wherein, during normal operation, the energy management system is operable to signal the predetermined number of fuel cell power plants and the at least one additional fuel cell power plant to operate at a reduced operating load that is less than the maximum operating load.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the systems, in response to one of the predetermined number of fuel cell power plants and the at least one additional fuel cell power plant going off-line to comprise an off-line fuel cell power plant, the energy storage system is operable to provide power to a microgrid load shed by the off-line fuel cell power plant, and the energy management system is operable to increase operating levels of any remaining fuel cell power plants from the reduced operating load to the maximum operating load such that the energy storage system stops discharging power and maintains a steady-state charge level.

In one example implementation, a method includes: suppling power to a utility grid with a plurality of fuel cell power plants; connecting the plurality of fuel cell power plants to the utility grid via a connection interface; storing power generated by the plurality of fuel cell power plants with an energy storage system including one or more batteries; during normal operation, an energy storage system connects at least one microgrid to a utility grid via the connection interface; and in response to an occurrence of a predetermined grid event, the energy storage system disconnects the at least one microgrid from the utility grid and supplies a microgrid load associated with the at least one microgrid, and an energy management system maintains a desired state-of-charge for the one or more batteries by communicating specific power setpoints to the plurality of fuel cell power plants.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the methods, wherein the predetermined grid event comprises a grid disturbance or outage, and wherein, in response to the predetermined grid event, the energy storage system:

immediately supplies the microgrid load while regulating system voltage and frequency, while also simultaneously commanding the plurality of fuel cell power plants to an idle mode such that the plurality of fuel cell power plants are supplying internal parasitic loads; and

subsequently sends power setpoints to each fuel cell power plant to supply the microgrid load and commands the plurality of fuel cell power plants to ramp up at a predetermined rate until the power setpoints are reached, and such that the energy storage system stops discharging and maintains the desired state-of-charge.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the methods, as microgrid load varies up or down, the energy storage system immediately produces or absorbs power to maintain voltage and frequency, and including calculating and communicating updated power setpoints to each fuel cell power plant as necessary to maintain the desired state-of-charge for the energy storage system.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the methods, in response to one of the plurality of fuel cell power plants going offline to comprise an offline fuel cell power plant, the energy storage system seamlessly and instantly picks up a portion of the microgrid load that was being carried by the offline fuel cell power plant, and including signaling at least one microgrid controller that a maximum power available has been reduced by an amount equal to that previously being provided by the offline fuel cell power plant, and wherein the at least one microgrid controller identifies lower priority loads to shed and the at least one microgrid continues operating at reduced load capability.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the methods, the plurality of fuel cell power plants comprises a predetermined number of fuel cell power plants that is determined to satisfy system operational requirements for a power block system, and including:

adding at least one additional fuel cell power plant to the power block system, wherein each fuel cell power plant has a maximum operating load; and

during normal operation, signaling the predetermined number of fuel cell power plants and the at least one additional fuel cell power plant to operate at a reduced operating load that is less than the maximum operating load.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the methods, in response to one of the predetermined number of fuel cell power plants and the at least one additional fuel cell power plant going off-line to comprise an off-line fuel cell power plant, the method includes: providing power of the microgrid load shed by the off-line fuel cell power plant with the energy storage system; and increasing operating levels of any remaining fusel cell power plants from the reduced operating load to the maximum operating load such that the energy storage system stops discharging power and maintains a steady-state charge level.

In a further non-limiting implementation of any of the methods, the connection interface comprises a static transfer switch, the energy storage system includes one or more batteries and a bi-directional inverter, and including a transformer connected to the bi-directional inverter.

The present disclosure may include any one or more of the individual features disclosed above and/or below alone or in any combination thereof.

Various features and advantages of at least one disclosed example embodiment will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawing that accompanies the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

The subject disclosure relates to a power block system comprised of a plurality of fuel cell power plants, an energy storage system, an energy management system, and a microgrid where during normal operation, the energy management system connects the at least one microgrid to the utility grid, and wherein in response to an occurrence of a predetermined grid event, such as a disturbance or outage for example, the energy storage system disconnects the microgrid from the utility grid and supplies an electrical load associated with the microgrid with power from the energy storage system and the plurality of fuel cell power plants.

A fuel cellis a power generation device which generates electricity—and, in many cases, heat—through an electrochemical process, which involves the interaction between hydrogen (or hydrogen-containing fuel) with oxygen. As shown in, each fuel cellutilizes components such as an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyteto generate electricity. Fuel containing hydrogen is channeled to the anode, as indicated at, where a catalyst splits the hydrogen atoms into positive hydrogen ions (protons) and negatively charged electrons. The function of the electrolyteis to allow only the hydrogen ions (but not the electrons) to pass through it to the cathode. The hydrogen ions travel from the anodeto the cathodethrough the electrolyte. At the cathode, the hydrogen ions that pass through electrolytecombine with oxygen in the air to form water, as indicated at. The electrons travel along an external circuitgenerating an electrical current.

In implementations, a plurality of the fuels cellsmay be stacked together to form a power plant unit, e.g., a PureCell® unit, which uses the electrochemical process for power generation for a utility grid(), and which can be fueled by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas, or hydrogen such that significantly lower emissions are emitted than conventional power plants using fossil fuels. In implementations, the PureCell® may comprise a phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) unit for stationary applications. Stationary application means fixed at a particular site, compared to mobility and transport applications. Each PureCell® comprises a modular unit that may be configured to generate electricity up to 460 or 440 kilowatts (which can power approximately 340 average US households), plus both low-grade and high-grade heat.

In implementations, in addition to providing efficient, clean, and reliable baseload electric and thermal energy, these fuel cell power plants may be configured as a power block, as shown in, to also provide these benefits to a microgridin the event of a loss of the utility grid. This power blockmay provide seamless transfer from utility grid operation to islanded microgrid operation and may leverage the fuel cell load dispatch capability to continuously supply highly variable microgrid loads. In implementations, the solution may be scalable from 800 kW to 5 MW.

In implementations, the power blockis designed and configured such that the maximum requirements for a microgrid load may always be met.

shows one example implementation of a microgrid power block. In this implementation there are two fuel cell power plants(additional power plantsmay also be utilized as needed), an energy storage system (ESS), an energy management system (EMS), and a connection interfaceto connect power to the utility grid.

In implementations, the ESSmay include one or more batteriesand a power conditioning system. In implementations, the batteriesmay comprise Lithium Ferro-Phosphate batteries. In implementations, the power conditioning systemmay comprise a bi-directional inverter.

In implementations, the connection interfacemay comprise a breaker or may comprise a static transfer switch (STS), which is an automatic static switching device designed to transfer critical loads between two independent AC power sources without interruption or with a transfer time of less than a ¼ of a cycle, e.g., less than 4 ms.

In implementations, each fuel cell power plantmay include an inverterthat connects to a main linethat electrically connects to the utility gridvia the connection interfaceand that also electrically connects to the microgrid. In implementations, a transformermay connect the power conditioning systemof the ESSto the main line.

Further, in implementations, the system may be scalable by adding fuel cell power plantsand increasing the size of the ESS.

In implementations, a microgrid controllermay interface between the microgridand the EMS.

In implementations, the microgrid controllerand/or the EMSmay comprise one or more controllers that may include one or more processors, memory, network devices, and input and/or output devices and/or interfaces. Such controllers may be a desktop computer, laptop computer, smart phone, tablet, or any other computing device. The interface may facilitate communication with the other systems and/or components of the network. The interfaces may include, for example but not limited to, one or more buses and/or other wired or wireless connections.

The one or more controllers may be a hardware device for executing software, particularly software stored in memory, and can be a custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the computing device, a semiconductor based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set) or generally any device for executing software instructions. The input devices may include a keyboard, mouse, etc. The output device may include a monitor, speakers, printers, etc. The memory may include UVPROM, EEPROM, FLASH, RAM, ROM, DVD, CD, a hard drive, or other computer readable medium which may store data and/or other information relating to the planning and implementation techniques disclosed herein.

In implementations, the software in the memory may include one or more separate programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. The one or more controllers can be configured to collectively execute software stored within the memory, to communicate data to and from the memory, and to generally control operations of the computing device pursuant to the software. Software in memory, in whole or in part, is read by the processor, perhaps buffered within the processor, and then executed.

In implementations, the EMSis configured to provide state-of-charge management of the energy storage system batteries in an “islanding” condition in which power generation for the microgridis disconnected from the main utility gridin response to certain utility grid events. Utility grid events may include interruption and/or degradation of main grid power. In implementations, one or more data collection devices, such as sensors for example, are associated with the utility gridand monitor and collect various data concerning grid operation, which is communicated to the ESS. In implementations, the grid data can be used to identify variations in electrical parameters of the grid, which can be used to identify changes to the electrical grid as compared to established grid operational criterions. In implementations, the need to disconnect the microgridfrom the utility gridmay be determined when at least one predetermined or selected grid criterion or event is met. For example, the predetermined grid event may comprise a grid disturbance causing voltage or frequency to fall outside a certain predetermined level or a complete power outage. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this description will be able to determine the one or more electrical parameters of the gridthat would be monitored and utilized for these purposes.

During normal grid-connected operation as shown in, the microgridis connected to the utility grid(see) for the local electric system via the STS connection interface. The fuel cell power plantsare operating at a base load up to a rated load per power plant and serving facility electrical and thermal loads. In implementations, the fuel cell power plantsare operating at a base load of 400 kW (see) up to a rated load ofkW per power plant, for example. The fuel cell power plantsare also connected to the microgrid(see). Further, during normal operation, the EMSis maintaining a standby state-of-charge on the ESSwhich is monitoring for a change in grid status.

In the event of a grid fault, disturbance, or outage, the STS connection interfacewill disconnect the microgridfrom the local utility gridas shown atin. In implementations, the STS connection interfacewill disconnect the microgridfrom the local utility gridin approximately ¼ of a cycle (4 ms), and thus the ESSinstantly and seamlessly continues supplying the microgrid load while regulating system voltage and frequency. This instant and seamless transition will occur smoothly and continuously, with no apparent interruptions to normal operation of connected loads as power is disconnected from the utility gridand maintained to the microgrid.

In implementations, there are two modes of operation. In a first mode, the EMSsimultaneously commands the fuel cell power plantsto a power set point determined by the EMS where the fuel cell power plantswill share the microgrid load with the ESSand stay in a P/Q mode without disconnection from the microgrid. In implementations, in a second mode, the EMSwill command the fuel cell power plantsto operate in an idle mode, where the fuel cell power plantsare disconnected from the microgridand only supply their internal, parasitic loads. The EMSmay then send power setpoints to the fuel cell power plantsto match the microgrid loads. The fuel cell power plantswill ramp up to the set points at a predetermined rate to transition from solely supplying power to the microgridby discharging the ESSwhile the fuel cell power plantsare in idle mode, to supplying power to the microgridvia the fuel cell power plantswhile also re-charging the ESS. In implementations, the EMScommands the fuel cell power plantsto ramp up to the power setpoints at a predetermined rate of 10 kW/sec, for example, which allows the ESSto stop discharging and maintain a desired state-of-charge.

In implementations, as the microgrid load varies up or down, the ESSwill immediately produce or absorb power to maintain voltage and frequency. Further, in implementations, the EMSwill calculate new power setpoints to the fuel cell power plantsas necessary to maintain the desired ESS state-of-charge.

In implementations, depending on the size and complexity of the site electrical system for the utility grid, the microgrid controllermay be needed to isolate, segregate, and prioritize loads and coordinate utility interconnection. In implementations, to prevent overage, the microgrid controllermay allow the ESSto charge while the fuel cell power plantsare commanded to reduce to a lower power setpoint to keep voltage output generally constant.

In implementations, the microgrid controllercan provide enhanced microgrid resiliency in the event one of the fuel cell power plants were to go off-line. In this case, the ESSseamlessly and instantly picks up the load that was being carried by the faulted fuel cell power plant. In implementations, the energy management systemsignals to the microgrid controllerthat a maximum power available has reduced by an amount equal to that previously being provided by the offline fuel cell power plant. In implementations, the microgrid controllermay identify lower priority loads to shed and the microgridcontinues operating at reduced load capability. For example, for the configuration shown in